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Do you think that this phone with this kind of architecture could be a dead end?
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It is already at a dead end when it comes to Android. If it would be able to run amd64 apps compiled for a somewhat theoretical x86 desktop version of ubuntu touch, then it would be probably fine for a few more years. But if it is really stuck in 32bit like on Android, then I think a UT port would not help.
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Is the kernel really 64-bit? I've built LineageOS 14.1 according to their own guide and uname -m is reporting i686, not x86_64.
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@MichælArthurLong very contradicting information about it online. See for example:
https://www.asus.com/zentalk/thread-11207-1-1.htmlThis repo clrearly also has some (experimental?) X86_64 stuff:
https://github.com/Zenfone2-Dev -
Hi all guys! I'm new member of this community. I have thr Zenfone 2 Z00A and I would like to contribute to port Ubuntu Touch on this devices. in the wiki of lineageOS is written that the CPU is x86_64 but Android is x86.
however, It's my first time, so How can I help you? What can I do?
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@giupardeb http://docs.ubports.com/en/latest/porting/introduction.html
Would be really cool, my Zenfone2 is in a closet at my parents place right now, but if you get something running I'll try to get my hands on it again for testing. -
@poVoq cool Ok! But I have a question, My Asus model is Z00AD, it's the same?
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@giupardeb Yes, same. I think that is also the only Zenfone2 model that is of interest for most people as it is still a decent phone by today's standards with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage.
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Hey, just wanted to add some info. I also do own the Z00A and I have already (more or less) successfully ported HALIUM to the device. The device is basically the same hardware as the Google Nexus Player or the Dell Venue 7840.
As others already stated, I can confirm that the kernel is 64 bit, whereas the OS (i.e. Android) is 32 bit. This is a problem since all proprietary blobs (especially the PowerVR graphics driver) are 32 bit as well. Making it virtually impossible to run a well supported 64 bit OS on the machine (because you cannot get graphics hw acceleration in a 64 bit OS).
As far as I know, UBPorts does not support x86 at all. So running Ubuntu touch would require a lot of work to create a working rootfs.
Also the PowerVR graphics blobs as well as the kernel "driver" are very old (DDK version 1.4) - one might want to stick to the version of the Google Nexus Player (which is still old, but it's version 1.8 which does resolve a lot of issues). You might wanna head over to github to see what I did to make the Dell Venue work (fcipaq is my name on github as well). -
So a 32bit Halium port is mostly done? A pity with the 32bit GPU blob though. Although this must be the userspace portion only right? I wonder if it is not somehow possible to run 32bit userspace drivers on a 64bit kernel, since for other software that is possible.
Better x86 support from ubports will come sooner or later I think. There are a lot of x86 tablets and 2:1 laptops that could run UT very well.
I do wonder more about Ubuntu upstream 32bit support as they seem to be dropping it. -
@fcipaq did you ever look into the Nokia N1 tablet? Seems to use the same SOC as well:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia_N1 -
@poVoq well, I have not, but according to the wikipedia article, the Nokia N1 received only LP 5.1 - so will likely be stuck on DDK 1.4 as well.
Also, it is really unlikely that it runs on x64 Android (because that would require different blobs from Imgtech et al. which are expensive - and I can't think of any reason why they would do it for that device).
But if you can grap a copy of the Nokia firmware (filename appears to be A5CN701_update .zip) you can check with the "file" command if the libs are 32 or 64 bits...
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Since my Zenfone2 is collecting dust in my drawer and I don't really plan to use it anymore:
I am willing to send it for free to any developer that is seriously interested in porting UT to it.
It is the 64GB, 4GB RAM version currently with LinageOS 15 or 16 (last official release, not sure) installed. Battery isn't the best anymore and the camera glass is a bit scratched.
To keep postage costs low I would prefer someone that lives in the EU. -
K Keneda referenced this topic on
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oh sad i have old asus zenfone 2 , and hoping to use it with this os but sadly the owner of this thread stops to port it.
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@fcipaq ,
hi , i saw your github link , can you update your readme or create a video how to build the halium kernel for asus then i will do the rest to have ubports working on our old device thank you
